Metal culvert.



c. PORTER. METAL CULVERT. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30, 1909.

Patented 00f.

anemic/110 lar parts are referred CHARLES M. PORTER, OF FARGO, NORTHDAKOTA.

METAL CULVERT.

Application filed December 30, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES M. PORTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fargo, in the county of Cass and State of North Dakota, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal Culverts, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of sheet metal culverts, andhas for its object to construct a device of this character which shallbe stronger and more convenient than similar devices heretoforegenerally used.

The invention consists of certain specific details of constructionhereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of aportion of a culvert made in accordance with this invention, certainparts being broken away to better disclose the structure; Fig. 2 is anend view of one of the sections; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectionaldetail showing one of the means for securing adjacent sections together;Fig. 4 is a detail view indicating one of the connecting bolts, and Fig.5 shows a slightly modified form of connecting means.

Throughout the following description and on the several figures of thedrawing simito by like reference characters.

A culvert made in accordance with this invention comprises a series oftubular sections 10 connected together end to end, forming a device ofany suitable length. Each of the sections is preferably corrugatedcircumferentially as indicated at 10 for the purpose of adding strengthto resist crushing strains. At each of the joints between adjacentsections, one end 11 of each section is substantially cylindrical, notbeing corrugated as is the main portion of the section. Said cylindricalend 11 is inserted or telescoped into the adjacent end 10 of theadjoining section, the latter mentioned end being corrugated throughoutits length, the

corrugated end thereof being disposed upon the aforesaid cylindrical end11. The. cylindrical end 1]; is preferably long enough to receive aplurality of corrugations of the adjacent end 10, and any suitablefastening means such as rivets or bolts are employed for the purpose ofuniting the two telescoped ends rigidly to ether, said fastening meanspassing throug both of said ends and on Specificatidn of Letters Patent.

Patented Gone, 1910.

Serial No. 535,547.

j opposite sides of a ridge formed by the corrugation of the end 10. Theconstruction embodying the combination of the corrugated end 10 with thecylindrical end 11 constitutes a peculiarly rigid trussed structure. Theaforesaid cylindrical end 11 may be longitudinally crimped at severalplaces as indicated at 11 if desired for the purpose of convenience inassemblage and to provide for expansion of the structure during freezingweather. Each of the sections 10 is preferably constructed of a unitarysheet of metal which may be of any suitable nature and galvanized ifdesired. The said sheet of metal is bent upon itself into tubular formand the edges thereof may be overlapped and connected in any convenientmanner well understood in the art.

At each end of the finished culvert there is preferably provided aflanged collar 12 for the purpose of giving additional strength to thatportion of theculvert which is necessarily exposed. The collar comprisesan inwardly projecting flange 12' which is connected in any suitablemanner permanently vert section, and it also includes an outwardlyextending flange 12". i

Culverts of the character described herein are made at the factory indifferent sizes according to the various requirements of the trade andseveral of the sections may be united while in the factory. Variousorders for long culverts are usually filled by providing a plurality oflengths of sections which are shipped and intended to be connected atthe placewhere the culvert is to be installed. For convenience ofassemblage the adjacent ends of the sections to be connected arepreferably provided with special attaching means, whereby it is notnecessary for the builders or operators to enter into the interior ofthe culvert in order to assemble the same, this being especiallydesirable in cases of culverts of such small diameter as to j make itpractically prohibitive for a person to enter the same. As indicated inFigs. 3 and 4 the adjacent section ends to be connected are shown asbeing provided with oblong holes or slots 13, the longer axis of each ofsaid slots being preferably circumferential. The special fastening meanscomprise bolts 14 each of which has a head 14- corresponding in shape tosaid slots though sufficiently smaller to permit the free passage ofsaid head through the alined slots, which to the adjacent corrugated endof the cul--- quired by the state of the art, What I claim as new is:

1. The hereindescribed sheet metal culvert may be done from the outside,and then the bolt is turned through an angle of 90 and moved bodilytoward one end of the slot I where it may be held temporarily by theincomprising a plurality of tubular corrutroduction of a punch or othertool into or t gated sections, a flanged reinforcing collar through thethen open end of the slot, the connected to the end section, the ends ofadlower end of the tool being forced firmly jacent sections beingtelescoped, the inner against the inner face of the bolt head. i endbeing cylindrical where received within \Vhile being held in thisposition tempora 5 the corrugated end of the adjoining section, rily thenut 14 will be applied to the outer and fastening devices passed throughsaid end of the bolt. -If desired to more com j adjacent ends,substantially as set forth. pletely close the opening formed in the mani2. In a sheet metal culvert of the character ner above indicated awasher 15 having a iset forth, the combination with a plurality of hole15 in one end may be placed over the tubular sections, the bolt betweenthe nut and the corrugated end are telescoped each to each, the mainportion 10 The washer is preferably made with j of each section beingcircumferentially corone end upturned in order to permit the rugatedthroughout its length but for that use of the tool above described, andafter portion which is telescoped within the next the nut is turned homesaid upturned end section which said portion is substantially parativelylarge diameters, and in view of cylindrical, and fastening devices inpairs passed through the telescoped ends and securely fastening acorrugated portion of one section to the cylindrical portion of theother section and constituting a rigid truss connection.

3. In a sheet met-a1 culvert, the combination of a plurality of tubularsections, each of said sections being corrugated circumferl entiallyfrom one end throughout its" length to a point closely remote from theopposite end and thence cylindrical, the corrugated of the washer may bestraightened or pounded down over the open end of the slot;

The modification illustrated in Fig. 5 is one in which the fasteningbolt 14? is permanently connected to the inner section in any convenientmanner, as by screw threads, preferably left handed. The outer end of (I1 the bolt should be threaded with an opposite and after the outersection is slipped or sprung into place over said outer end the nut letmay be driven 1 home by an ordinary wrench completing the I character ofthread connection. Since the threads of the bolt end of the next sectionbeing telescoped upon are of opposite characters turning of the thecylindrical end of the preceding section,

nut cannot loosen the bolt from the inner i the cylindrical end of eachsection being lonsection. This form of connecting devices It gitudinallycrimped, and fastening devices I in pairs passed through the telescopedadjacent corrugated and cylindrical end portions the fact thatstructures of this character are I of adjacent sections, said fasteningdevices not requlred to be snugly fitted and the furi being operablefrom the outside of the structher fact that the inner member is corru- Iture, substantially as set forth. gated to enable it to be sprung ordlstorted In testimony whereof I affix my signature to a certain extent,no practical difiiculty f d M h 1 in presence of two witnesses. 1s ounin assem in t ese parts in tie manner above described. CHARLES PORTER isadapted especially for sections of com Having thus described thepreferred em- I lVitnesses: bodiment of the invention, without desiringF. H. BEACH, to be limited thereto except as may be rei S. B. PORTER.

adjacent ends of which

